From 1989: A debate about the effectiveness and appropriateness of the R.C.I.A. in the life of the Catholic Church.
Sacraments
Posted inFaith, Vantage Point
The Case Against R.C.I.A.
From Father Andrew Greeley in 1989: The R.C.I.A. has converted the sacramental experience into an obstacle course, a series of barriers to be surmounted, a list of tests to be passed.
Posted inArts & Culture, Ideas
Lessons for evangelization from Britney Spears’s journey with the Catholic Church
Britney Spears recently wanted to get married in the Catholic Church. The controversy that followed shows us what we still need to learn about turning our churches into welcoming spaces.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Archbishop Wester: The Catholic Church should baptize children of same-sex couples
“The general disposition of the church is one of hospitality, openness and welcome,” writes Archbishop John Wester. “Refusing to baptize children of same-sex couples is not in keeping with this outreach and I find it quite troubling.”
Posted inFaith, Faith in Focus
The two saints who saved me from scrupulosity
Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Ignatius helped draw me away from scrupulosity—and into accepting God’s love.
Posted inFaith, Faith in Focus
What Catholics actually want (and need) from marriage prep
Preparation for marriage should rely less on workbooks and more on prayer and community.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
What Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart reveals: The Eucharist is about friendship
The writings of St. Ignatius Loyola and the traditional Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart highlight a specific aspect of the Eucharist: friendship.
Posted inFaith, News
Citing ‘superficial’ marriage prep, Pope Francis calls for yearlong program for engaged couples
Pope Francis said “superficial” marriage preparation programs leave many couples at risk of having invalid marriages or unprepared to cope with the struggles that arise in every marriage.
Posted inFaith, The Good Word
The feast of Corpus Christi comes out of medieval spirituality. But it is not a relic of the past.
With Vatican II and the return of the sacred liturgy to the faithful, Corpus Christi seemed to become a relic of an earlier, deprived spirituality. But the church tends to rearrange her treasures rather than abandon them.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
After abortion vote, Colorado Catholic bishops ask lawmakers to refrain from Communion
Catholic bishops in Colorado have asked state politicians who voted in favor of abortion rights legislation to refrain from presenting themselves for Holy Communion in a June 6 open letter.